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National exposure for Middlesex photography graduate

11/08/2015

A Middlesex University photography graduate is seeing his work displayed across the United Kingdom as part of a national showcase for emerging artists.

Andrew O'Dell is one of 20 graduates selected for the Talent
Spotting scheme – a collaboration between visual arts magazine Creative Review
and advertising company JCDecaux. Throughout the month of August, more than
1,000 digital screens are featuring illustration, photography and animation projects
by some of the year's most talented graduates, screening their work in railway
stations, shopping malls and other public spaces across the country.

Andrew, who graduated from Middlesex in 2015 with a first
class honours in photography and received the Deans Academic Excellence
Achievement Award, was selected for his final year project, a study of the iconic
1960s Barbican Estate in east London.

After gaining much interest in his work at the Middlesex art
and design degree show and the D&AD New Blood Festival, being chosen for
the Talent Spotting showcase nevertheless "came as quite a shock," Andrew said.

"Once I fully understood the actual size and how many places
and people would see my image, it became a little surreal. I feel really
privileged to have this opportunity and I only have my friends, family and the
tutors at Middlesex to thank for it."

The Talent Spotting team praised Andrew for offering a "new
perspective" on a structure which has captivated photographers for decades.
Presenting the building in a new light was an important factor for Andrew when
undertaking his project.

"I was well aware even before I took my first photograph of
the Barbican of just how many photographers had already captured the
architecture, be they amateur or professional," Andrew said.

"The one thing I was most keen on avoiding was creating a
body of work which was exactly the same as all the other photographers who had
decided to photograph the Barbican. I wanted to move away from photographing
with a wide angle lens and shooting in black and white; I didn't want my work
to be generic.

"I wanted to capture the smaller pieces of exterior and
interior design which the average person would not notice, or would likely
forget instantly. This way the viewer of the work would hopefully see a brand
new aspect of the Barbican Estate they had never seen before. I deliberately
captured images from a variety of angles and always tried to keep the concept
of abstract architecture photography at the forefront of my mind."

Following the success of his final year project,
Andrew plans to return to Middlesex to begin his MA in Photography – and continue to document London's built environment through his work.

"I am looking into continuing the architecture photography of Brutalist buildings, and I want to try and capture more abstract images of interior design in buildings across London," he says.